FORT MYERS, Fla. - If all goes according to plan, Terry Doyle will find himself pitching in some pretty hostile situations on the mound this season for the Minnesota Twins.

By TIM BRITTON | Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. - If all goes according to plan, Terry Doylewill find himself pitching in some pretty hostile situations on themound this season for the Minnesota Twins.

But none of them compare to what he runs into during theoffseason.

For the past four winters, Doyle, who will start for the Twinsin an exhibition game against the Rays on Sunday, has served as asubstitute teacher - typically for math classes - in the WarwickSchool District. You probably don't remember your substituteteachers specifically, but you know what they symbolizedcollectively: free rein. A movie, maybe a worksheet - a chance torun amuck for 40 minutes in the middle of the school day.

"Subs sometimes come in with a target on their back," VeteransMemorial High School principal Gerry Habershaw said. "If they can'testablish classroom discipline, then they're in trouble."

That's the environment Doyle steps into each workday during thewinter, subbing in the high and junior high schools in Warwick.Doyle grew up in New Hampshire, but his family moved to Warwickafter he graduated high school and enrolled at Boston College. Hissister attended Vets.

After finishing his first professional season in the White Soxsystem in 2008, Doyle was looking for a way to augment the meagerpay for a low-level minor-leaguer in the offseason. Having been astudent-teacher while at Boston College with a long-term goal ofteaching, subbing in Rhode Island was a perfect fit.

"When I was a student in school growing up, I always had a lotof respect for my teachers. I wanted to get into it because theyhelped me along," Doyle said. "I wanted to be a baseball coach.Being a teacher is one of those jobs that gives you the hours whereyou can coach after school, so it kind of just fit well."

Doyle's specialty in math - he aspires to teach calculus - is ararity among subs, according to Habershaw.

"There aren't a lot of them out there," the principal said."Someone that can come in and step in and teach math as a sub isvery important."

Doyle downplays just how much he does in a classroom.

"They don't expect a math sub to come in for the math classes,so they just leave a little bit of review work for the students todo," he said. "What I do is usually hand out the worksheet they'redoing and then I'll do it on my own, to stay fresh on it. Most ofthat stuff I haven't seen that much since high school. It helps mepass the time and whenever they say, 'Oh, this is impossible, Ican't do it,' I can hold up my paper and say, 'I finished it.' Theyalways get a little riled up about that."

Doyle has the added advantage of his real day job, which giveshim some useful cachet with his students.

"Every day I get kids asking for autographs. I tell them as soonas they finish their work, I'll sign," he said. "That usually makesthem do their work a little better."

That signature might soon be increasing in value. A 37th-roundpick by the White Sox in 2008, Doyle has posted terrific numbers inthe minors in Single- and Double-A. In 2011, he compiled a 3.07 ERAin 26 starts between High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham.This past winter, he was lights-out for the Mesa Solar Sox of theArizona Fall League, forging a 1.98 ERA in 27 1/3 innings.

But after that performance, Doyle was stunned to learn that theWhite Sox had left him off their 40-man roster. Given his servicetime in the organization, Chicago's decision left him vulnerable inthe Rule 5 Draft, where the Twins leaped on the chance to selecthim second overall.

"I was pretty upset about it," Doyle said of being left off the40-man. "I thought I had earned a spot on the roster. The White Soxdidn't see it as a fit. It worked out for me because now I'mgetting an opportunity here. Everything works out for thebest."

What initially appeared a bad break may turn out to be the onethat kick-starts a major-league career for Doyle. Rule 5 picks whoaren't carried on the major-league roster for the duration of theseason are subject to a return to their original team, thusproviding a major incentive for Minnesota to entrust Doyle with abullpen spot on Opening Day. If Doyle doesn't make the team butstill impresses the Twins enough, they can trade a player toChicago to keep Doyle in their system for good.

"If I was just a regular 40-man guy, I probably wouldn't have asgood a chance of making the roster instead of being a Rule 5 guywhere I could potentially be lost if I don't make the squad," hesaid. "It gives me more of a longer look coming into springtraining."

Just being on the 40-man roster provides a little more heft toDoyle's bank account; being on the big-league roster would offerlife-changing money.

Coming off a 99-loss season, the Twins have their fair share ofbullpen spots open for the taking. They lost Joe Nathan and JoseMijares in the offseason and Joel Zumaya to Tommy John surgery.

Doyle's work starts Sunday, but it won't be against the team hegrew up rooting for in New England. The Twins have split-squadaction on Sunday and Doyle will get the start against the Tampa BayRays while some of his teammates face the Red Sox in Fort Myers. Ifall goes well this spring, he likely won't be back in Warwickteaching next winter. Habershaw, though, would never be happier tolose an employee.

"I'd love to see him make the big-league club," Habershaw said."It's just a great family. It'd be good to see him havesuccess."

Even so, Doyle wouldn't be retiring from the classroom forgood.

"A baseball career is over at 40 - if I'm lucky," Doyle said."I'm going to have to do something until retirement. I'd like toget into teaching and be able to coach. That's the plan."